oakum

[ oh-kuh m ]

/ ˈoʊ kəm /

noun

loose fiber obtained by untwisting and picking apart old ropes, used for caulking the seams of ships.

Nearby words

Origin of oakum

before 1000; Middle English okome, Old English ācuma, variant of ācumba, literally, offcombings, equivalent to ā- separative prefix (see a-³) + -cumba (see comb¹)

Dictionary.com Unabridged Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2019

Examples from the Web for oakum

The steam blew the flaming pitch all around; the oakum caught fire, and the ship was immediately in a blaze.
The Life of Admiral Viscount Exmouth|Edward Osler
Following them came a party of monsters in green dresses with long tails, and heads covered by oakum wigs.
Dick Cheveley|W. H. G. Kingston
Cover the frog with a thick pad of oakum, held in place by pieces of tin fitted to slide under the shoe, and return to slow work.
Special Report on Diseases of the Horse|United States Department of Agriculture
As soon as Mrs. Oakum was enabled to collect her thoughts, apprehensions on Sam's account again oppressed her.
I've Been Thinking;|Azel Stevens Roe

When the good dame had departed, Paul hastened to repick his oakum and rejoin his friend.
Paul Clifford, Complete|Edward Bulwer-Lytton

British Dictionary definitions for oakum

oakum

/ (ˈəʊkəm) /

noun

loose fibre obtained by unravelling old rope, used esp for caulking seams in wooden ships

Word Origin for oakum

Old English ācuma, variant of ācumba, literally: off-combings, from ā- off + -cumba, from cemban to comb

Collins English Dictionary - Complete & Unabridged 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012

Word Origin and History for oakum

oakum

"loose fiber obtained from taking apart old hemp ropes," early 15c., from Old English acumba "tow, oakum, flax fibers separated by combing," literally "what is combed out," from Proto-Germanic *us-kambon (cf. Old High German achambi); first element cognate with Old English a- "away, out, off;" second element from stem of cemban "to comb," from camb "a comb;" from PIE *gembh- "tooth, nail" (see comb (n.)).